What's your latest SAK?

[IMR4198]

   I thought the red one was just a rather worn cellidor.  Then I saw it was covered with thin red leather.  Let us know how the foil trick works.  Nice ones.  Best wishes.  Gary

[Jazz]

Three 58s: chromed stamped steel Diplomat (I  really like the names like Diplomat, Broker etc), brushed stainless steel and leather Coach!
Thanks to AzteCypher for his kind support to acquire them!

The leather scales are in very good shape but the knife itself is not - there is a broken spring (you can see the file does not close) so I decided to remove the scales and put them to another classic.
The removal was easy - like any other celidor scales. To my surprise, there are toothpick and tweezers embedded in them!
But after further consideration it makes sense that they were left in - without them there would the opening for the T&T heads and the thin leather would sink in them.
The pin holes in the scales seem to be rather worn - look like the scales were already removed in the past, I do not know what the previous owner(s) did to them. But still look usable - I will try the trick with kitchen foil for reinstalling - I would rather avoid using glue. (Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)


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What is the foil trick?

[z1913]

There was a post (but I can't find it now), where somebody put small piece of kitchen plastic foil on the pins because the pin holes in the scales were already worn/too wide from multiple reinstallation so the scales were too loose and the foil served as  washer/plug so no glue was needed. I will post pictures once done.

[Farmer X]

Those scales are indeed in great shape. Congratulations, and to AzteCypher for helping them get to you!

[Tuisto]

Here's a new addition to the club. By far the oldest model I own. I can't actually physically open the can opener. I got it open once but then almost pulled my nail off attempting it again. I play bass so I have to keep my fingernails super short and it can be a hassle sometimes to open some stickier models. I'll put some mineral oil in it and try again in a bit. Or maybe throw it into the freezer for a few minutes. I think this is from the last year these were produced, since they started with a new model in '51. I really like the clip point blade on this thing and I really really like the awl and screwdriver/cap lifter. And it came with a pouch, but I'm not sure it's original.

[IMR4198]

Those can openers are notoriously tough.  Looks like someone whittled on the handle a little to allow a little better purchase on the opener stud.  Nice one.  Best wishes.  G
 

[Farmer X]

I'm sure you'll get the can opener working smoothly. What a great old SAK!

[Tuisto]

The good news is that I've managed to open it four times in total now. The bad news is that the main blade scrapes something fierce when I open and close it. Can this model be washed in soap and warm water or is it best not to since I'm assuming the handle is made of wood (I think?)?

[Jazz]

There was a post (but I can't find it now), where somebody put small piece of kitchen plastic foil on the pins because the pin holes in the scales were already worn/too wide from multiple reinstallation so the scales were too loose and the foil served as  washer/plug so no glue was needed. I will post pictures once done.

Thank you. I'll remember this.

[Farmer X]

Can this model be washed in soap and warm water or is it best not to since I'm assuming the handle is made of wood (I think?)?

I wood (sorry!) proceed with caution if the scales are wood. But per the SAK Wiki Model 1890 page, later ones have brown fiber scales. Yours are almost certainly brown fiber. Still, use care and ask someone who's actually owned one before you go to town on it.

[pfrsantos]

Here's a new addition to the club. By far the oldest model I own. I can't actually physically open the can opener. I got it open once but then almost pulled my nail off attempting it again. I play bass so I have to keep my fingernails super short and it can be a hassle sometimes to open some stickier models. I'll put some mineral oil in it and try again in a bit. Or maybe throw it into the freezer for a few minutes. I think this is from the last year these were produced, since they started with a new model in '51. I really like the clip point blade on this thing and I really really like the awl and screwdriver/cap lifter. And it came with a pouch, but I'm not sure it's original.

Cool looking knife. I wouldn't use that freezer trick. Not sure it won't hurt the scales. Go for mineral oil and lots of opening/closing the can opener. If you dip it in hot water (just the can opener metal part) it might expand a little and make it easier to open.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tuisto]

The can opener is just stiff but doesn't scrape. Same with the awl and screw driver/cap lifter. Weirdly, when I tried opening the main blade this morning it was scraping even worse... With my ~2010 Electrician, when the awl scraped I just used the file on my Swiss Champ to file down where it makes contact (roughly where the bolster on the '50 Soldier is) and then oiled it and it was fine but I'm reticent to take a file to the '50 Soldier... I've got the same issue with my red '65 Soldier, too, but on that one the blade and cap lifter scrape badly. I figured freezer since that contracts metal, instead of warm water which would expand metal and potentially cause it to scrape more but I guess I'll try the warm water and mineral oil first.

[pfrsantos]

The can opener is just stiff but doesn't scrape. Same with the awl and screw driver/cap lifter. Weirdly, when I tried opening the main blade this morning it was scraping even worse... With my ~2010 Electrician, when the awl scraped I just used the file on my Swiss Champ to file down where it makes contact (roughly where the bolster on the '50 Soldier is) and then oiled it and it was fine but I'm reticent to take a file to the '50 Soldier... I've got the same issue with my red '65 Soldier, too, but on that one the blade and cap lifter scrape badly. I figured freezer since that contracts metal, instead of warm water which would expand metal and potentially cause it to scrape more but I guess I'll try the warm water and mineral oil first.

The metal would expand while hot. When it cools down, it might have pushed the liners a little so as to reduce the friction at room temperature. Like when you soak an Opinel, so the wood expands and you open/close it a bunch of times. When it goes back to "normal", the wood contracts and it's easier to operate.

 

[z1913]

There was a post (but I can't find it now), where somebody put small piece of kitchen plastic foil on the pins because the pin holes in the scales were already worn/too wide from multiple reinstallation so the scales were too loose and the foil served as  washer/plug so no glue was needed. I will post pictures once done.

I attempted to reinstall the coach scales. There was very limited pressure needed to put them on - nothing close to what you need to install a brand new one - you could tell that they were already removed in the past.

But still they sit firmly on three ends of the knife, only the fourth one remained loose.
I tried to use the foil but to no avail - it remained loose so a drop of glue was needed.
Anyway, I am happy with the outcome. I used rambler, not classic, as the base - not historically correct but more practical!

I like the leather - great tactile feel.



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[Farmer X]

Leather can be a great handle material. I'm curious as to how it works for SAK scales. That's one I'd carry, but with extra care. Nice job saving them!

[z1913]

Leather can be a great handle material. I'm curious as to how it works for SAK scales. That's one I'd carry, but with extra care. Nice job saving them!

Yes, I intend to carry it too - no full time shelf queens on my end (but of course some deserve extra care and special handling!)

[Luke Walker]

I am super happy that I could get birth year SAKs for both my son and me this week. I could buy the '23 model in the store, but the '88 model was hard to find. I've been looking for a good and affordable one for a long time and now I scored a nice Wenger in pretty good condition for ~80 EUR incl shipping.  It was quite gunked up but some dish soap, a good scrub and some oil revealed a very nice knife!

Here's the father & son BYSAK duo and some more detail shots of mine: 
 

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[AzteCypher]

Great job on the Coach scales z1913.   

[Farmer X]

  And a nice father-son birth year duo as well!

[pfrsantos]

And a nice father-son birth year duo as well!

Yeah. I would just wait a couple o'weeks before letting junior handling his SAK...

 

 

[Farmer X]

Good point!

[Luke Walker]

Thanks guys! Sure I'll keep it in my collection for a while before I give it to him. I guess that would be a nice present for his 30th birthday.

I just thought it's better to buy it now than in 30 years, it's not gonna get cheaper or easier to find in new condition  ; ) Maybe this model will gain some more popularity until then. I am also not the biggest fan of the new iteration of the Soldier knife...

[Luke Walker]

So I got a Wenger Traveler this week from the German equivalent of Craigslist. It's a strange version without a keyring, without scale tools but with the newer style nail file that is facing away from the blade. Tool-wise it was in pretty much new condition and all the tools have a good snap when closing. However, somebody  apparently tried to remove a company logo from the backside scale. He definitely succeeded, but the scale looked rough and had a little dent in it.
 

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I worked on it with 240, 400, 1.000 and 2.000 grit sandpaper and gave it a final polish. It turned out nicely for a user knife. If you look closely you can still see some of the pitting, but I didn't want to remove too much material.
 

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I wanted a nice user Wenger Traveler for some time. I got a perfect one some time ago in NOS condition (key ring, scale tools, clear protective stickers still on the scales), but I couldn't bring myself to use it... Now I got a decent looking one for carrying.
 

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[Farmer X]

Looks good. I sure do like that red foil background that Wenger used to put on their crosses.

[z1913]

Victorinox Voyager - my first with electronics and 91 LED. I like the opaque ruby scales and the old school feel of digital clock and the old rounded version of the mini SD. When I purchased the knife I thought it is the Traveller model - with clock, altimeter and barometer.
The listing did not specified name of the model - just said SAK with clock (so no scam from the seller), but I thought he just omitted it from the description- I knew only about Altimeter and Traveller models, I did not know that there is as well Traveller’s predecessor with just clock called Voyager. Of course I do not need barometer and altimeter but would be cool to have it… But Voyager is nice enough too - it has great toolset for urban travels! Especially in the era before mobile phones it was great package -  alarm clock, scissors, hook with file, in-line phlips, led light + usual blades and openers and plus scales (all scale tools are on the back side - with short version of tweezers).




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[z1913]

Some additional pictures

[z1913]

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[Antti Lammi]

My latest SAK is Climber, still waiting Ranger to arrive

Only Tools Matters

[Luke Walker]

Great additions, Antti and z1913! 

I especially like the Voyager as it has the file hook and that cool clock. I might be looking out for one as well. Especially when I'm outdoors or working on something I don't wear a wrissmurfch. And as phones have gotten so big, I usually have it somewhere in my backpack or my jacket. That's why I imagine the SAK clock could be pretty handy, because it's always in the pocket and quick to take a look at.

[Farmer X]

Some nice SAK additions!